Eastern Electronic Festival launched

Birmingham to host contemporary Asian arts programme.

The third instalment of a ground-breaking four week festival featuring new music, commissions, art and digital exploration from the next generation of British-Asian artists returns to Birmingham on Tuesday 6th May 2014.     

The Eastern Electronic Festival, which runs until Saturday 31st May, presents performances and work by internationally acclaimed and emerging musicians, producers, film-makers, photographers, DJs, spoken word artists and broadcasters.

Using specially curated digital platforms to create and share audio and visual content from leading-edge British-Asian talent, the festival programme will also present new music and commissions at locations across the city such as music venues, canal boats, arts centres, bars, libraries and galleries.

EEF2014 highlights include Shaanti TV broadcasting future sounds from the best new British-Asian artists (9th-30th May via www.easternelectronicfestival.co.uk), Music By The Canal Tour (Brindleyplace, 10th May), the photographic exhibition Twenty Years of Asian Dub Foundation (12th–31st May, The Drum), Shaanti New Music Live featuring electronic music pioneers Amit (Metalhedz), Nathan ‘Flutebox’ Lee, My Panda Will Fly and The Clinic (17th May, Oobleck/Afie Birds), a screening of cult animation Sita Sings The Blues (27th May, mac) and the Birmingham debut from DJ Ninja (30th May, Nuvo Bar).

Free events presented as part of the festival programme include Best of British New Music Showcases (8th, 15th and 29th May, Symphony Hall Café Bar),a Women’s Music Production Workshop led by producers Tigerstyle (14th May, Library of Birmingham), community participation event Empowered Unity (22nd May, Library of Birmingham), the Eastern Pride Parade as part of Birmingham Gay Pride Weekend (24th May, Birmingham city centre), and the Rivers of British-Asian Blood exhibition (26th May–1st Jun, The Old Print Works).

Creatives and fans of new music and art can contribute to or collaborate on projects online and on-air such as Discover and Unsigned (6th May), Classical Uprising (7th May), a Muslim Women in Music debate (11th May), My Music Hero Remix (16th May), New Music Sunday (18th May), I Am…An Artist, I Am A Woman (19th May), A Baja For This Dance (20th May) and Electro-Stani (21st May). Details of all projects can be found at www.easternelectronicfestival.co.uk.

A series of Eastern Electronic Community Hub meet-ups offering advice and networking opportunities for artists will also take place during the festival.